Category: music

“Turning to music for comfort and solace is not a subject that is talked about much—not out loud, at any rate—in our community, even though it is a perfectly natural inclination, and something that many of us engage in regularly.”

“There is little film music as instantly recognizable as Nino Rota’s opening music played on trumpet, and only a handful of films as masterfully made as The Godfather.”

“Mr. Britell, who developed the on-screen violin music and spirituals, had a unique set of challenges: being historically accurate to a time period from which no recordings, and little musical documentation of folk traditions, were available.”

After a long midday meeting, the board came “to very strong agreement on leadership and a positive direction for the organization,” new board chairman Gordon Sprenger said in a statement. “However, we have more work to do before we are able to make a detailed public statement. We will share further news as soon as we are able.”

“The cost-cutting move comes after the board of the opera company, with ticket sales faltering, decided that it had reached the limit of its donors’ willingness to cover, year after year, the company’s growing expenses, according to a person familiar with the matter.”

Sixteen years after the Philharmonic became one of the last big European orchestras to admit women, they are still an exotic sight onstage. Despite a blind audition policy, in which candidates are not visible when they play, the orchestra currently has just seven female members out of 130 total.

“The Minnesota Orchestra board meets Friday to consider the fates of former Music Director Osmo Vänskä and President and CEO Michael Henson. Hanging in the balance is the return of Vänskä, who resigned in October during the historic, 16-month labor lockout, as well as the question of the board’s confidence in Henson.”

“Threats of a strike at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera, which would have prevented Thursday’s opening night performance of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and damaged the company’s account books, were averted at the last minute.” The theater’s finances are so bad that Rome’s Mayor has been saying that a strike could force the company to close its doors.

“Victims of state persecution, ambassadors for day-glo knitwear and wank fodder for beardy liberals the world over, the members of Pussy Riot have been filling both prison cells and column inches since 2012. In the process, they’ve also become one of the most famous bands on the planet. But let me ask you this – have you ever actually heard any of their music?”